St. Margaret's Weekly Reflection

WEEKLY REFLECTION | January 21, 2024 – Epiphany 3B

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

        It’s the time of year when some of us are beginning to think about our taxes and work on our budgets. It is a moral duty to pay the taxes we owe—after all, our Boss said, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12:17) But we don’t have to pay more than we owe. It’s worthwhile to think about how we use the money we have to support the causes that are important to us.

        If we are required by our age or by an inheritance to take Required Minimum Distributions (RMD), there are some ways to reduce the taxes on those funds and to put that money to good use. Our treasurer, Andy Werner, and Dave Leber, a certified financial planner, have written a short piece to give some ideas about this and other possibilities. For example, I have to take an RMD from my mother’s IRA. So I use it to pay my pledge to St. Margaret’s. My husband uses the RMD from his mother’s IRA to support animal rescue.  If we took those funds, we’d have to pay taxes on them. But I’d rather support St. Margaret’s with them—and our two mothers would be so happy. I believe using RMDs to support charities in this way requires that they be tax exempt 501(c)(3)s. But check with your tax adviser or financial planner to be certain.

        Attached is some information on Planned Giving that goes beyond just the RMDs that our two experts have prepared for us. Both would be glad to answer questions—they have mine!

 

JOY!

Mo. Laura+

 


Coming Up

  • Friday – January 26th, 6:00 p.m. – Soup Potluck (sign up at church or send an email with what you plan to bring and how many are coming: smec@rcn.com)
  • Sunday – February 4th, 11:00 a.m. – Annual Meeting, in person or on zoom
  • Sunday – February 11th, 9:00 a.m – Commissioning and Blessing of All Worship Leaders in the morning service
  • February 14th, Ash Wednesday
    • 12:00 Noonday Prayer
    • 1:00 – 4:00 “Ashes to go” at church (call first)
    • 7:00 – 8:00 Ash Wednesday Service, with imposition of ashes